Tire Nichols’ death has sparked outrage and prompted state and federal investigations in the weeks since Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, died after being pulled over by police. in Memphis.
Lawyers for Mr Nichols’ family said the video, which has not yet been released to the public, shows him being beaten by police for three minutes during the stop. “He was a human piñata for those police officers,” said one of the lawyers. “Not only is it violent, it’s also barbaric.”
Here is a timeline of key events in the case:
January 7th: Around 8:30 p.m., Mr Nichols was stopped by police on suspicion of reckless driving near the intersection of Raines Road and Ross Road in Memphis.
Memphis police said in an initial statement that a “confrontation occurred” when officers approached his vehicle and Mr Nichols fled. Police said there was then “another confrontation” when officers arrested him, and an ambulance was called after he complained of difficulty breathing.
January 10: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced that Mr. Nichols “didn’t cope with his wounds” and died.
January 14: Mr. Nichols’ family held a memorial event and released a hot air balloon in his honor, according to Commercial Complaints, a newspaper of Memphis. Supporters staged a rally at a nearby police precinct.
January 15: Memphis Police Department announced that internal administrative investigations are underway.
January 16: The Nichols family has hired prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who has represented the families of several Black victims of police abuse, including Michael Brown, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. Mr. Crump Calling on Memphis police to release body camera footage about the encounter: “No one can die from a simple traffic stop — the footage is the only way to tell the real story of why and how it happened to Tire.”
January 18: US Department of Justice announced that they have opened a civil rights investigation into Mr. Nichols’ death and are coordinating with the FBI office in Memphis.
January 20: The Memphis Police Department said five officers violated department policies related to Mr Nichols’ death, including policies governing the use of excessive force, the obligation to intervene and the obligation to provide aid. All five officers have been fired.
January 23: Mr. Nichols’ family watched body-mounted camera footage the night the traffic was stopped, but Mr. Nichols’ mother was unable to view the full video. Family attorneys called the video “disgusting,” likening it to a video showing how Rodney King was brutally abused by Los Angeles police in 1991. “How did we get here? after so many years?” they asked in statement.
January 24: Preliminary findings from an autopsy commissioned by Mr Nichols’ family showed he was “bleeding heavily from the brutal beatings.” His family shared a photo taken before his death on January 10 showing him lying on a hospital bed, seemingly unconscious, face bruised and swollen.
The Memphis Fire Department announced that two employees involved in Mr. Nichols’ “primary care” are being “duty free“Pending an internal investigation.
January 25: Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis condemned the officers’ actions as a “fundamental lack of humanity” during a debate. video statement. She said other Memphis police officers are still being investigated for policy violations.
Realizing “considerable public interest” in the video release, US attorney for the Western District of Tennessee also urged citizens to respond “peacefully and nonviolently.”
January 26: Five fired police officers were arrested in connection with the deaths of Mr. Nichols and charged with second degree murderamong other crimes.
Steve Mulroy, the Shelby County district attorney, said video of the incident will be released after 6 p.m. on Friday. Memphis prepares for what has been repeatedly described as brutal footage.
